Suspenders.



Paien ted June I7, I902. E. a. MELLEM.

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(Application filed Mar. 22, 1901.)

(No Model.)

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UNrrnn STATES ATENT OFFICE.

EDXVIN G. MELLEM, OF ST. PAUL, MINNESOTA.

SUSPENDERS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 702,902, dated June 1'7, 1902.

Application filed March 22, 1901, Serial No. 52,398. (No model.)

To all whom, it nuty concern/.-

Be it known that I, EDWIN G. MELLEM, a citizen of the United States, residing at St. Paul, in the county of Ramsey and State of Minnesota, haveinvented new and useful Improvements in Suspenders, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in suspenders, and has for its object the production of a suspender which will allow greater freedom to the body and which may be easily and quickly adjusted or detached.

Other objects are cheapness of construction, together with reduction of friction and Wear between the working parts of the suspender, also more even distribution of the weight supported by the Suspender upon the body. lVith my suspenders the weight of the garment supported tends to hold the shoulders erect.

As compared with the prior art, myinvention is free from transverse straps or tackle across the spinal column. Such straps or tackle do not equalize the support of the garment when the body is moved and tend to hamper the movement of the body. My invention tends to overcome these defects.

To the above ends my invention consists of a suspender constructed in two sections, which are removably connected near the back of the neck of the wearer when in use. Each section consists of two straps, one up the back and the other fastened to the upper end of the first and extending onto one shoulder. A running button-cord, looped up the front of the body to the free end of the shoulder-strap and connected to the lower end of the backstrap, is adapted to fasten the straps to the garment to be supported.

In the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, Figure 1 is a perspective View of my improved suspender with the parts shown connected. Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the sections disconnected ready to be removed from the body.

A and B represent the two sections or sets of supportingstraps of my improved suspender. Each section consists of the vertical strap or web 0 and the shoulder-strap D,which are joined together at substantially right angles at E. The right and left sections A and B have a separable connection formed by the spring-head F and keeper G, which are respectively attached near the angles E to the straps O and D. This connection may be a spring-button, as'shown in the drawings, and is the place of separation of the sections or sides of the suspenders. When in use, the vertical straps extend up the back of the wearer and the straps D around the back of the neck and onto the shoulders.

For the purpose of illustrating and claiming my invention the sections A and B may be described as containing a single transverse strap from the top of the shoulders across the back of the neck and a connection F and G, by which said strap is separable near its centerinstead of a pair of shoulder-straps joined near the center of the back of the neck and passing onto the shoulders. The free ends of the shoulder-straps do not pass over the shoulders, as with suspenders now in use. The sections attach at their angles by means of the separable connection nearthe back otthe neck of the wearer. The r'unning-cordslin each section are looped up at Jand pass freely through the eyelets L on the free ends of the shoulder and back straps. The tabs M are freely disposed onthe cords I between the ends of the back and shoulder straps. The ends of each cord and the lower end of each tab are provided with the button-loops N, by which the cord may be buttoned to the garment. In use when it is desired to loosen the suspenders from the body the sections may be disconnected by means of the spring-button, as shown in Fig. 2, and slipped off from the shoulders. The back-straps and shoulderstraps may be lengthened or shortened by adjusting the buckles O, which are of ordinary construction.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to protect by Letters Patent, is

1. A suspender consisting of two separable sections having means for connecting said sections at the back of the neck of the wearer, a pair of straps extending down the back one on each side of the spinal column, a second pair joined to the first pair near the center of the back of the neck and passing onto the shoulders, and means for attaching the free ends of said straps to the garment to be supported consisting of two entirely separate runhing-cords, one on each separable section.

2. In combination a pair of straps or Webs extending up the back of the wearer, eyelets at the lower ends of said straps; a second pair of straps or webs extending onto the shoulders from the back of the neck and attached to the upper ends of said back-straps; a spring-button by which the right and left sides of the suspender are separately connected behind and at the lower end of the 'neck of the wearer; eyelets upon the free ends of said shoulder-straps; separate cords, one passing through the eyelets of the group of straps on each side of the place of separation of said right and left sides and having button-loops on their ends, and a button-tab connected to each cord between the ends of the straps on each side of said place of separation.

3. A suspender consisting of a strap which extends from the back of the neck to the top of each shoulder, a pair of straps down the back, disposed substantially at right angles close to said shoulder-straps, a separable connection interposed substantially midway between the ends of said shoulder-straps, eyelets at the four free ends of said straps, a separate running-cord passing through the eyelets on each side of the place of separation and a button-tab slidingly disposed upon said cord between the free ends of each pair of side straps.

4. A suspender consisting of a strap passing around the back of the neck of the wearer and having its ends projecting one on each shoulder; a separable connection inserted midway between the ends of said strap; backstraps attached one to each section of said shoulder-strap adjoining said separable connection; each side of the suspender having an entirely separate running-cord connection with the garment to be supported.

5. In combination,atransverse strap or web from the top of the shoulders across the back of the neck; a connection by which said strap is separable at its center; a pair of straps down the back one on each side of the spinal column, said back-straps being attached to said first strap at substantially right angles near the center of said first strap; eyelets at the four free ends of said straps, an entirely separate cord looped through the eyelets on each side of the place of separation, with an intermediate button-tab freely disposed on each cord.

6. Asuspenderconsistingof apair of straps or webs extending up the back of the wearer,

a second pair of straps or webs extending onto the shoulders and joined to said first pair at substantially right angles, a separable connection attached near the angles to said pairs of straps by which the right and left sides of the suspender are separably connected behind and at the lower end of the neck of the wearer, eyelets upon the free ends of said shoulder and backstraps, buckles on said shoulder and back straps for adjusting the length of the straps, separate cords freely disposed through the eyelets of each pair of shoulder and back straps and having buttonloops on their ends, and a button tab freely disposed on each cord on each side of the place of separation.

7. A suspender consisting in combination of two separable sections joined together by a separable connection behind and at the lower end of the neck of the wearer, each separate section consisting of a substantially-vertical back-strap, a shoulder-strap joined to said back-strap near said separable connection at substantially right angles, eyelets on the free ends of said back and shoulder straps, a running-cord passing through said eyelets and having button-loops on its ends, one of which is adapted to attach to one of the buttons at the back on the garment to be supported, and a button-tab connected to said cord between the free ends of said shoulder and back straps.

8. In combination ,a transverse strap or web from the top of the shoulders across the back of the neck, a spring-button by which said strap is separable at its center, a pair of straps down the back attached one on each side of said spring-button to said first strap, eyelets at the four free ends of said straps, buckles by which said straps are adjustable in length, an entirely separate cord freely disposed through said eyelets on each side of the place of separation, having means for attaching the same to the garment to be supported.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

EDWIN G. MELLEM.

lVitnesses:

OHR. BRANAT, F. O. LISTOE. 

